Police-criminal nexus: HC raps Patiala SSPs for mishandling corruption case

Taking cognizance of a police-criminal nexus, the Punjab and Haryana High Court rapped the Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police and the SSP Vigilance Bureau for mishandling a corruption case before terming it a “sorry state of affairs.”

Referring to the petitioner-accused as an “agent of local police” facing five more criminal cases, the Bench directed the State Director-General of Police to depute an IPS officer of Inspector-General’s rank to conduct an inquiry within two weeks and file the report before the court at the earliest.

“The petitioner in the present case is facing five more criminal cases and he was acting as an agent of local police. So, this matter also highlights the nexus between the police officers and criminals. It is a sorry state of affairs, which was not handled by SSP Patiala as well as SSP Vigilance Bureau, Patiala,” Justice NS Shekhawat asserted, before directing the forwarding of the order DGP, Punjab, and DGP, Vigilance Bureau, for necessary action.

The case has its genesis in an FIR registered on October 9, 2024, alleging that two men were demanding Rs 25,000 per month from a hotel owner in Patiala to run it without interference. The complainant alleged the duo assured him that “after giving money, nobody will disturb them” and claimed to have recorded the conversation on his mobile phone.

The matter was placed before Justice Shekhawat’s Bench after the accused filed anticipatory bail plea in the case registered at Vigilance Bureau police station in Patiala. The court asserted that “under the pressure of corrupt police officers, the investigation did not progress,” and during the probe, the accused attacked and physically assaulted the complainant — as recorded in an order of Patiala Additional Sessions Judge.

“More so, during the course of investigation, the attitude of police officials encouraged the accused and he attacked the complainant and physically assaulted him, which is reflected in the order passed by the Court of Additional Sessions Judge, Patiala,” the Bench asserted.

Justice Shekhawat also expressed astonishment after taking note of the fact that the matter stood compromised apparently under pressure. “This court is shocked to note that the complainant, who had lodged the FIR under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and had recorded the conversation of the accused, has now compromised the matter with the accused in the present case, which is apparently done under the pressure of the corrupt police officer,” the Bench asserted, while fixing the matter for further hearing on August 12.